Midnight Fur
by TheGirlWhoSawImagination
Summary: (AU. First in the Midnight Fur series) Harry had always known he could do things other wizards wouldn't understand. He was always the outcast, except at Privet Drive. So when Harry starts Hogwarts, how will he take to it? Sets in years 1-3 at Hogwarts. Rated T for mild language and violence.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Petunia had never been more shocked in her entire life. A small toddler, roughly one, was staring back at her. His bright green eyes, her sister's eyes, stared back at her. Black, messy, hair was just like her sister's husband, James. How could this toddler be sitting on her porch?

The boy giggled, and a black tail swished behind him. As Petunia watched in horror, the boy seemed to slowly be replaced by a puppy-like wolf, which bounded into her house on Privet Drive.

Petunia knew this boy had to have some magic in him. How else was she to explain this? The boy clearly had just turned into a wolf!

Looking down, she saw a letter. The letter was addressed to her, which gave her even more of a jump. It was clearly signed by a man called Dumbledore, which scared her even more. Albus Dumbledore was someone her sister would know.

Picking up the letter, she read quietly, refusing to cry. Her sister had died? Lily, the only sibling Petunia ever had, had died? James had too? How could this be? Her sister wasn't the one to get into the trouble of sorts, and neither was James when it came down to life or death. So how could this be?

"Mommy!" screamed Dudley from his high chair. He was clearly scared of something.

Petunia rushed to the kitchen, and saw the boy again, clearly giggling madly at the appliances. "What does this do?" the boy kept on asking quietly, pointing to the coffee maker.

"Harry?" asked Petunia slowly, knowing his name from a letter Lily had sent a while back.

The boy looked up again, clearly confused, his bright green eyes seemed to be glowing. At first, the glowing scared Petunia. But, she soon saw the friendly look in his eyes.

"Petunia!" the boy giggled again, clearly knowing her name. Petunia's heart accelerated, Lily had taught this boy her name!

"Sit," she ordered gently, and Harry obeyed her.

Dudley quickly stopped crying. He looked from his mother to his cousin, over and over again, clearly not understanding the intelligence Harry had.

"Petunia, you're nice," the boy whispered gently, making Petunia almost have a heart attack. She, who had been clearly been mean to her sister, was being called nice by Lily's son!

Petunia sat on the floor slowly, not wanting to disturb the boy at all. She gently hugged the boy, tears streaming down her face. This boy, who was clearly a small child, and magical, was now hers to look after. Little did she know, this was just the beginning of a new life for her.


	2. Chapter 1: Sortings & Discoveries

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Series, I just write fanfiction**

**A/N: Thanks for following so far! The chapters mainly focus on important parts and minor details I may or may not add, or at least this point in time. If you don't like skipping in time, then don't read. But, if I didn't put anything in about yet, it probably happened, like Quidditch match 1 happened.**

Harry had never been more excited in his entire life! He was going to Hogwarts, which may be his home. Sure, the Dursleys treated him well enough, but Petunia couldn't get Harry the best care, because Vernon and Dudley hated magic.

This didn't mean it would be easy, though. Harry didn't know where platform 9 ¾ was. He was befuddled, and didn't know if he should ask anybody. Until, "-packed with muggles of course!"

Harry heard his heart accelerate. It was a woman talking, but they had already gone inside. Harry only caught a glimpse of a boy with red hair, darting into the wall, and then he was gone. Harry quickly followed the boy, and soon found himself on the platform.

There was no time to gaze at the scarlet train. Harry quickly found a compartment with the same red-headed boy he saw get onto the platform, plus two identical red-headed boys, who were slightly older than Harry.

"Mind if I sit here?" Harry asked politely.

"Sure," said the youngest boy.

Harry sat down, feeling funny in the glasses that a black-haired woman who he forgot the name of and the large man named Hagrid told him to wear. "What's your name?" Harry asked the boy after the other two left.

"Ron Weasley. Those were my brothers, Fred and George. What's yours?" the boy named Ron asked him.

Harry didn't know what to say. He knew he was famous. But how was Ron supposed to understand that? Thinking about this made the black tail Harry had swished furiously. "Harry Potter," he finally said, watching Ron's eyes widen.

"You're _him_?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded, and showed Ron his lightning shaped scar when asked. Things were set smoothly for the rest of the trip, as they were enjoying snacks and playing a game called _Exploding Snap_.

It wasn't until they got into the Great Hall at Hogwarts when panic finally settled into Harry. What if he was found out? Surely he would be in the future. But what if it was in front of everyone? Harry trembled slightly, but it seemed he wasn't the only one scared.

A girl with brown, bushy hair was mumbling something only Harry could hear, "What if I'm not _chosen_? What if I end up in no house at all? What if I'm just a plain old Muggle after all?"

Harry couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, as she was clearly a Muggle-born. These worries didn't really bother Harry, though; as he knew he was magical. He had his wolf form to prove it.

"It's just a silly old hat! I swear I'm going to murder Fred and George," muttered Ron.

Right he was, too, as the hat sang a song of welcoming before going silent. Professor McGonagall, who Harry recognized, began putting the hat on first years like him too. Harry really didn't care, though, as he was wondering what house he was going to be in.

Surely not Slytherin, as Harry thought of others all the time, not just himself. He had bravery, and read all his books about magic, so he was smart. Yet Harry felt a calling to Gryffindor, not Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

"Granger, Hermione," McGonagall called out. Harry watched silently as the same girl with the bushy hair sat on the stool, her face pale. But in a few seconds, the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The girl, who was Hermione, bounced off the stool and ran to the Gryffindor table. Then after quite a few more names, McGonagall called, "Potter, Harry."

At once, whispers rang through the hall. "Did she say _Harry Potter_?"

"_The Harry Potter_, it can't be!"

The sound was deafening to Harry, although he knew it was just him. Refusing to cover his ears, Harry sat on the stool, and the hat was placed on his head.

_This is very interesting,_ a voice called into his ear, _very interesting indeed. A good heart, bravery, and what's this? You're very smart. Plenty of all three, but no selfishness; though, you have more bravery. _"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat finally yelled out.

Harry grinned, and sat right next to the Weasley twins. They clapped him on the back, and cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors, "We got Potter! We got Harry Potter!"

Harry heard his wolf instincts smile. No doubt his secret would be kept safe at Gryffindor, and he knew Ron was going to be in Gryffindor, since his whole family had been.

Harry had been right, too. "GRYFFINDOR!" yelled the hat as soon as it was placed on Ron's head.

After three other people were decided, Dumbledore got up from his chair. Harry recognized him from the _Chocolate Frog_ card he had gotten. "Now that the Sorting is over, it is time for us to eat. First, let me say a few words, though."

Harry didn't really listen to the words, as his stomach was grumbling to loud. But the gold plates filled with food, and Harry, hoping nobody would notice, took quite a lot of meat. Hermione looked at his plate with interest, as if she was trying to decide why he had so much meat, but Harry ate it quickly enough so she wouldn't notice much more.

XXX

Life was turning out for the better, or so it seemed to Harry. A boy called Draco Malfoy was teasing him constantly, but Harry shrugged it off his shoulders. He was the first Quidditch player as a first year in a century, but this didn't bother him.

What kept Harry on edge, though, was that he might be found out. He kept it easy enough, dressing behind the curtains of his four poster bed, and it seemed to work. Nobody noticed his strange like of meat, except the occasional glance from Hermione, but Harry hoped she was thinking he just liked meat.

Everything was perfect, until Halloween. Earlier that day Ron had gotten Hermione upset by insulting her, and Harry thought he would go comfort her, as he was selfless. But, Ron and Harry had both decided on going to apologize to Hermione after the feast. But plans didn't quite work out.

A screaming Quirrell, who was even paler than normal, came into the Great Hall. "Troll! Troll in the dungeon!" Harry heard him yell before covering his ears.

Harry quickly followed Ron, but remembered something. Harry grabbed Ron's arm, and spoke quietly, "Hermione! We got to help her!"

Harry sneaked out of the Gryffindor line with Ron, and they reached the girl's bathroom. They sneaked inside, quickly, because the troll was right behind them.

Hermione screeched as the troll came in, and Harry knew they had to do something. Quickly, he ran up the troll, with inhuman speed, and clung onto his back. The troll screamed in pain, and Harry started to choke the troll.

"Bloody hell, Harry!" gasped Ron.

"Do something!" yelped Harry.

"Like what?"

"Anything, just do something!"

Hermione got up suddenly, and she showed Ron what to do, and as he did that, she did a Leg-Locking Curse.

The troll swayed a little bit, but kept on thrashing, as Harry clung for his life. Ron yelled out, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Harry dropped to the floor as the troll's club was lifted above his head, but the target missed. The club simply landed on the floor.

Harry realized what he had to do. Taking off his robe and shoes and socks, he heard the familiar sound of clothes ripping. Harry ignored the shocked face of Ron, and the face of Hermione, who seemed to have mixed emotions.

He charged at the troll, and knocked it to the ground. Harry then knocked out the troll, and looked at his friends.

Ron, whose face was now paler than usual, looked as if he was about to faint. Hermione, her wand still in hand, sighed. "I knew it," she whispered angrily.

Harry quickly grabbed his robe, which held an extra pair of socks, shoes, a shirt, and jeans, quickly raced into an unbroken stall, coming out a few minutes later.

"We better get out of here," Harry said simply, before grabbing Ron and Hermione by the arm, and raced out of the room to an empty classroom.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered.

"Indeed," giggled Hermione.

They were not seen at all, and Harry started to explain. But, Ron cut him off, "I don't want to hear it at the moment."

And that settled things for quite a while.


	3. Chapter 2: Flamel & Holidays

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Series; I just play with it and my imagination. Books and imagination are best friends.**

**A/N: This chapter is a little longer. Thanks for all the reviews so far! I didn't think so many people would read this! I'm trying to do these posts once a day, but the next chapter might be two days, depending on how much time I have.**

In the years to come, Harry would never be more grateful of having Ron and Hermione as friends. In fact, they soon became the best of friends, just shortly after the Halloween incident.

So one day, the trio was casually sitting outside, for it was a hot day in November, a rare sunny day. They were watching Fred and George throwing rocks into the lake, trying to get the giant squid to pull some Slytherins into the lake. So far they had succeeded in getting the squid angry.

"We still haven't found anything about Nicholas Flamel," groaned Hermione.

Harry shrugged, and took out a chocolate frog card. He was hoping to see a sign of Flamel on the cards, but so far had no luck. He opened up the card, but sighed. "It's a Merlin," he said quietly.

"Yes! The squid did it!" exclaimed George, who started to laugh.

He was right. The squid had pulled three Slytherins into the lake, though they came to shore shortly after, grumbling and throwing curses at the twins.

"I wonder if Flamel is even _has _a chocolate frog card," mumbled Ron.

"He has to. Either that or he is mentioned on one," Hermione replied.

That gave Harry an idea. "What if we need to look in the library? He would surely be in one of the books."

"Perfect! That was exactly what I was thinking, well not exactly. If Flamel is mentioned in a book or chocolate frog card, he has to be mentioned in the book, _The Greatest Wizards of All Time_. I'll pick it up for some light reading," Hermione grinned.

Ron nodded, "You guys are the bookworms, but I need something to do anyways."

The trio then left their spot in the shade, ignoring the shouts of Filch, angry Slytherins, and George and Fred.

XXX

"Gosh! I can't think of anything," groaned Ron, clearly not having any luck with his homework.

They were working quietly in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry, who was looking for Flamel, had finished his homework the previous day, since there wasn't any Quidditch practice. Hermione and Ron, on the other hand, had not finished their homework. Hermione, whom had spent yesterday researching for Flamel, was now helping a befuddled Ron, who had spent the last two days working on homework.

It was the last day of term before winter break started, and the sky was covered in thick clouds, while the ground was nowhere to be seen, since it was covered in fluffy snow.

"Honestly, Ronald. It's not that hard. Besides, the questions are quite simple. You just need to _concentrate_," scolded Hermione.

Harry, who had remained quiet for most of the day, sighed. "Flamel isn't in this book either. It's like he is just simply hiding from us," Harry sighed in his whisper-like voice.

Hermione, who was finished with helping Ron, worked quietly on her homework now. "I know. But he's got to be _somewhere_, we probably aren't looking in the right section," she replied, before concentrating on her homework.

They worked quietly for the rest of the day, until it was near midnight. Harry, who was slightly tired, decided to go to bed; but Ron and Hermione were still working on homework. Or, Hermione was trying to help Ron on his homework again.

Harry couldn't sleep, though. The wolf instincts Harry had had been cramped up a long time. It was getting closer to January, almost three months had passed. Harry had never gone this long without running about somewhere.

Eventually, after Ron had come up, Harry fell asleep. Although, nightmares crowded his dreams; so when he woke up the next day, he was exhausted.

The next few days passed by in a breeze. The Weasleys hadn't gone home for the holidays, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone to Romania, to visit Charlie.

Christmas came by like a summer breeze, gently pushing in. Harry woke to a ripping sound, and his heart accelerated for a second. But, he remembered it was Christmas, and looked over at Ron's bed. Ron was quickly unwrapping his presents, but a lumpy package stood in the back.

Harry, who crawled over to his loot of presents, saw that he had the same amount as Ron. This was surprising, since Harry usually got ten presents at Christmas, while Dudley got twenty.

Harry unwrapped his presents: A wolf stuffed animal from Petunia, which was no surprise; fifteen chocolate frogs from Hermione, to help with the search; Muggle candy from Petunia and Hermione; a bunch of other stuff from Hermione, Petunia, Ron, and other people.

Three unfamiliar packages stood out, though. One of them, Harry guessed, was from Mrs. Weasley, judging by the maroon sweater Ron had finally unwrapped. The other two, one from Hagrid, the other not signed. Harry decided to unwrap the present from Hagrid first.

Harry, who saw this was a scrapbook, opened it to the first page. He jumped back, yelped, and transformed in the process. Ron looked up, befuddlement on his face. "What?" he asked Harry.

Ron peered over at the scrapbook, and his jaw dropped open. At the same time, Harry sat on his haunches, and the Weasley twins walked in. "Hello Ron! Hello-" they were cut short as, luckily, the curtains on the bed that belonged to Harry were closed. Harry did a quick transformation back to his human self and put on his clothes. He could only hope his pajamas would be replaced by the house elves he visited occasionally. "I was getting dressed," Harry partially lied.

The rest of the morning went smoothly, however. Harry did indeed get a Weasley sweater, a green one with a snitch on it. Harry looked at the three redheads curiously. They all seemed to shrug, though they went a little pink.

It wasn't until the evening, a long afternoon searching for Flamel, that they opened the last package. "You father left this in my possession before he died. Use it well," Harry read aloud.

Ron shrugged before saying, "What is it?"

Harry ripped open the package, and a silver cloak fell out. Harry quickly put it on and Ron gasped. "That's an invisibility cloak! They're really rare!" Ron managed to say.

Harry looked down at his body, but nothing was there. He almost transformed again, but reminded himself these were one out of three robes he had. Harry grinned to his friend, before quickly saying, "I think I now know how to not be so edgy."

Ron eyed him curiously, but didn't ask. Harry now had the key to having fun at Hogwarts, at night.

The rest of the holidays flew by, and soon term started. Hermione was back, and she was searching harder than ever for Flamel. She still found nothing, though, to her disappointment. Ron had kept up his searches in the library, and Harry had searched his chocolate frogs and was now searching through books at a rapid pace, thanks to his terrific eyesight.

Hermione was cautious about the cloak, but agreed Harry needed to venture out and explore. Bags were a deep, grey line under his eyes and he moved slower than he did when he first came to Hogwarts.

"Pay attention _Potter_," Snape hissed angrily.

Harry jolted, realizing he just about fell asleep. Hadn't they just gotten to class? But he knew he was wrong. If a night were to come up to go explore, tonight was the night. It was a full moon, and Harry wanted to see the Forbidden Forest.


	4. Chapter 3: The Fight and the Weasleys

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; I'm just the girl who saw imagination**

**A/N: This chapter will mainly focus on one idea & one idea only. Sorry that I didn't include something (not saying what), but it would've filled up three chapters, and I only wanted each year to be four or five chapters long (there are summer breaks to, you know. I can't just include everything.), but thanks for following so far! I really appreciate it! You guys are lucky that I could finish this chapter today, though!**

Harry never had so much fun in his entire life! The trees were racing past him, vegetation was everywhere, and he heard the forest through a wolf's perspective. It was so fascinating, so hypnotizing.

He heard Fang, Hagrid's dog barking inside Hagrid's hut, even though it was a few hundred yards away. He saw the unicorns, who eyed him with their friendly eyes, and he saw the babbling brook with its gushing water.

After a while, Harry headed back to the castle, and got four or five hours of sleep. When he awoke, he felt very refreshed and energetic. Ron and Hermione couldn't help but keep their smiles wide when they saw the change.

This didn't last long, though as Easter holidays were approaching. Harry had started studying on Saturdays and Sundays, and when he had free time besides researching, for the exams. Hermione seemed to forget about exams, and Ron really didn't care, but he did study with Harry sometimes.

XXX

"Honestly Ron, what are you going to do for the exams?" Hermione sighed as Ron was playing wizard's chess with Harry.

"Study," Ron replied.

"But the exams are only _three_ weeks away!" groaned Hermione.

"Exactly; which is why I am going to go study, after lunch," Ron sighed angrily.

"Found anything yet?" Harry asked Hermione.

"No, that's the problem! He's not anywhere!" Hermione exclaimed.

"No, besides, we've had to have searched over half of the library already," Ron muttered. It was true, they had been through well over five hundred books, but Flamel wasn't in any of them.

"I forgot to tell you! Mum wants you to stay with us for the summer! She would've told you if she and Dad hadn't gone to Romania," Ron said.

Harry nodded. "Petunia won't mind. Besides, I'd like to meet your family," whispered Harry, a grin spreading across his face.

Harry then noticed something on the ground. It was a chocolate frog card! Picking it up slowly, Harry read it. "I've found him!" yelped Harry, almost falling off his seat.

"What?" Hermione asked, dropping her fork.

Harry, who was too shocked to speak, handed the card to Hermione. "I knew it!" she then dashed off somewhere unknown.

Harry shrugged, and went back to eating his lunch. Hermione, however, came back a few minutes later, carrying a gigantic book. "I picked this up for some light reading," she explained quickly.

"You call this _light reading_?" gasped Ron.

Hermione and Harry both rolled their eyes at the same time, and Ron turned pink slightly.

Hermione turned to a random page, and started to read in a hushed whisper, "_Nicholas Flamel is the current owner of the philosopher's stone_!"

She read on a bit more, but Harry soon interrupted her. "That's it! Snape must be trying to steal the stone!" gasped Harry.

"Oh no," moaned Ron.

"We have to get the stone before Snape does!" exclaimed Hermione and Harry at the same time.

XXX

Dumbledore pushed the big oak doors of Hogwarts, his face grim. What was Harry thinking? Where was Harry?

"Ron! Ouch, don't step on my feet Ron! We're almost to the-" Hermione Granger stopped dead in her tracks, with a limping Ron Weasley using her as support.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir!" squeaked Hermione.

"He's gone after it, hasn't he?" asked Dumbledore politely.

Hermione nodded, and Dumbledore fled the scene, searching for Harry.

XXX

Harry groaned his head was spinning. Where was he? All he remembered was the burning Quirrell, Voldemort's red eyes, and the screaming of a woman's voice that still rang in his ears.

"_Not my son! Kill me, not my son!" _the woman's voice became so loud, Harry finally opened his eyes.

"Hello Harry," Dumbledore's twinkling eyes and silver hair was the first thing Harry saw.

"Sir, the Stone!" gasped Harry, the color draining from his face.

"Relax, Harry, the Stone is safe. Madam Pomfrey might throw me out, though, if you don't calm down," Dumbledore chided cheerily.

"Professor, what exactly happened?" asked Harry nervously.

So Dumbledore explained to Harry how Quirrell was defeated, and how Ron and Hermione are eagerly waiting for him. "Can I see them?" asked Harry.

Dumbledore shrugged, saying, "Madam Pomfrey will decide."

It turned out; Madam Pomfrey said he healed enough to go to the feast, a day later. And in the end, Gryffindor won the house cup, and so soon it seemed it was time for the trio to go home.

But, Harry wasn't going home. He was going to the Burrow, Ron's house, for the whole summer. Dumbledore had said it would be best, partially for Vernon's sake, that Harry spend the whole summer at the Weasleys.

"You know, it's our job to tell them," sighed Harry nervously.

"So? Who cares? It doesn't matter," replied Ron, trying to close his suitcase.

"Tell us what?" asked Fred and George, appearing in the doorway.

"Nothing," mumbled Harry.

"Are you sure?" Fred grinned.

Harry nodded, and the twins shook their heads. "Keeping secrets we already know. Shame on you Harry, you should know better."

Ron and Harry both flinched, and Harry almost yelped in surprise. "How did you know?"

Fred and George grinned, their smiles growing wider by the second. "You have an invisibility cloak!"

Ron and Harry had a hard time containing their laughter after that. It was true; Harry did have an invisibility cloak, but he was afraid they guessed he was part wolf, and they didn't.

The ride back home was peaceful, as the trio talked about what they were going to do next year, and Hedwig, chirped softly along the way.

When it came time for the trio to part in the Muggle world, Hermione hugged both Ron and Harry. "You two better not cause trouble," she whispered.

Harry and Ron both grinned. "We won't, that's Fred and George's job," replied an amused Ron.

Hermione eyed them skeptically, but it was already time for her parents, who were muggle dentists, to leave.

So Harry and Ron bounded up to Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny grinned back at their smiles. As the Weasley family and Harry departed the train station, Harry couldn't help but laugh at the wonders he survived at his first of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.He's


	5. Chapter 4: DADA & Books

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Series**

**A/N: Sorry about that typo at the end of Chapter 3. Also, this is considered part of Year 1; it just doesn't have Harry in it. He is mentioned, though. Also, in this universe, Lockhart doesn't exist. Sorry to all the Lockhart fans! One more thing, though, second year is going to be 90% different than you probably expect! Also, I give the trio more smarts than they probably should have. Sorry this chapter is so short!**

Dumbledore was having a stressful week. The man he wanted to fill in the DADA was supposed to come, and it was the last week students would be at Hogwarts. The Weasley twins always loved to cause havoc at the last week of the term at Hogwarts, though, and this meant there was never a dull moment.

There was a sudden knock at the door, and Dumbledore quickly said, "Come in."

He was expecting Filch to come with the Weasley twins, but this was not so. A young man, although his face scarred, walked in. Grey hairs were visible, but the chestnut brown was the main color of his hair. "Ah, Remus Lupin, I didn't think you would want to come here," smiled Dumbledore.

"Yes, well you said this was important," Remus replied, before adding nervously, "And I trust your judgment, Dumbledore. But what is so important?"

"Remus, do you remember what year it is?" asked Dumbledore politely.

Lupin nodded, a thinking expression came to his face. "Well, Remus, I think you would be a great position for the DADA teacher," Dumbledore mused as Lupin's expression was befuddled.

Lupin's eyes widened. "But, sir, why; I'm not the best teacher in the world, you know that," Lupin snorted.

"Yes, but, we have a special student here, who needs your help."

"I thought I was going to be the last werewolf at this school."

"Oh you are, at current time."

"I don't understand."

Dumbledore shook his head, "The boy is the first we've seen. A born animagus, by the looks of it," chided Dumbledore.

"What? But that's impossible! There are no registered animagi young enough to be parents, unless. . ."

"Yes, Remus, you are correct. His father was an unregistered animagus."

"How did you know?" Lupin gasped.

"To the most observant eye, your nicknames were obvious."

"So, the child is. . ."

"Yes, the child is Harry Potter," Dumbledore said quietly.

"But how; animagi don't pass on that trait to their children, its impossible!" Remus sighed.

"Harry is a very special child."

"It seems to be so." Remus agreed.

"So will you accept my offer?" questioned a patient Dumbledore.

"I have to think about it."

"Severus is willing to make wolfsbane potions for you."

"I thought he hated me."

The conversation continued on, for quite a while. It was near the evening feast when they finally finished.

When Lupin left, Dumbledore sighed and took out the Pensieve, and put a memory in it. Before the memory faded, however, a wolf with midnight fur lay on the ground somewhere, before a young boy with black hair and green eyes took his place.

XXX

"Hermione, you really should get to bed," sighed Ron.

It was near midnight in the Gryffindor common room, and Hermione was reading a book. "I can't. I have to finish this book," Hermione stated.

Ron muttered something, and walked over to Hermione. "What are you even reading?" he asked.

"_Animagi History & Facts_, Harry let me borrow it," explained Hermione.

Ron looked at how much more she had to go. It looked like about five more pages, so Ron replied, "You really should get to bed, though."

Hermione rolled her eyes, and shook her head. "I'm trying to find information. It just doesn't add up. How could Harry actually be an animagus?" groaned Hermione.

Ron sighed and shrugged. "Do you think we should become animagi?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know. Sometimes I think we should, other times I don't. If we do, we would have to register."

"We wouldn't have to."

Hermione rolled her eyes again, before yawning. "I'm going to bed," she yawned.


	6. Chapter 5: Summer Break

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: Now we begin with summer break! Sadly enough, this is another short chapter. I'm having writer's block at the moment, and I'm trying to find a suitable way to introduce Harry's 2****nd**** year at Hogwarts… *sighs* Sorry if I also scared the crap out of you, I only post on weekdays! Plus, I was sick! Of all things I was sick! But, not to worry, I'm still posting chapters.**

Once Upon a Time, our young wizard Harry Potter thought he might've been the outcast forever. However, now he was proven wrong. He was now staying with the Weasleys, a wizard family that consisted of seven children, and the whole family had red hair.

The four brothers and sister that were currently living with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were all different. Percy, who was a prefect, preferred to stay in his room all day, only coming out for meals. Fred and George loved to make the booms and hisses in the house. Ron and Ginny liked to play with Harry, almost always laughing when Harry accidently transformed into a wolf.

Ginny was the second person to borrow the book about animagi from Harry, but he didn't mind. She always went slightly pink when he surprised her, but she was always very friendly.

Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, and Harry always seemed to either be playing Quidditch or helping out around the house. It seemed like life was perfect, even with the letters Hermione sent the two, urging them to study.

So one day at the Burrow, as the Weasleys referred to it as, Ginny and Harry were sitting in the living room. Ron was with the twins, getting gnomes out of the garden. Ginny was reading quietly, and Harry was doing homework.

Everything was set in stone; everything was perfect at the Burrow. The whole house was almost quiet for a change, minus the creaks and groans the Ghoul in the attic made.

"Finally done!" sighed Ginny, closing the book, looking pleased.

Harry looked up. "You're done with the book?" he asked as Ginny jotted down some notes.

"Yes." She replied curtly, before giving him the book back.

It seemed for the next few days that was the only unusual thing at the Burrow. Sure, the explosions were sometimes annoying, but there always seemed to be something fun.

The whole summer continued on in this way, explosions and Quidditch, and so much more. Harry couldn't believe his eyes at all the wizard things he saw. Potions, spells, and enchantments were everywhere.

XXX

"Hey, look! The school owls are here!" shouted the Weasley twins.

It was mid-August, and the dew on the lawn proved it. The leaves had changed colors lightly; Harry could see the faint traces of yellow, red, gold, and brown in them. The cool breeze in the air was also a reminder that autumn was coming.

"Wonder who's going to be the new DADA teacher," Ron sighed.

Harry shrugged and quickly opened up his letter, hoping that the new teacher wasn't going to try and kill him.

XXX

Hermione put down yet another book, sighing angrily. She had read six books so far, one borrowed from Harry, but she couldn't find anything she found fact worthy.

Barely wanting to look at the neat pile of useless wizard books she bought, Hermione put the latest failure onto the stack, which now had five books. The stack was driving her insane. How come this many books had no information? Was Harry the first to show signs of being a born animagus?

"Mum, I'm going out to the park!" yelled Hermione as she ran down the stairs.

"Okay!" was the reply.

Hermione knew her mom was working heavily on Muggle files, the files for dentists in the muggle world. But as she ran outside, her fears were all forgotten. It was a new moon, as Hermione knew to never go outside on a full moon, and she decided to go to the nearby park.

After about two hours, Hermione decided Harry really was the first of born animagi. It seemed utterly impossible, but that was the only thing she could think of.

XXX

_"You're going to pay for that Potter!" screeched a voice Harry had heard before._

_ Harry seemed to be a ghost, as the fourteen year old girl that ran past him didn't notice him. Or maybe it was that her face was the same shade as her dark red hair._

_ Not wanting to end the dream, Harry ran after her. By now Harry had figured out this was a dream, and he wanted to see why his imagination was running wild._

_ The girl abruptly stopped, and stared at what seemed to be an older version of Harry! Except, the boy didn't have his emerald green eyes, but instead a hazel color; "What did I do Lily?" he demanded angrily._

_ Lily? Harry was confused. Who were Lily and this clone? "You know very well _James_, or do I have to repeat it?" the girl glowered._

_ James and Lily! Harry's eye widened in shock, he had thought is parents were dead! This had to be a crazy dream of the sorts._

_ "Please do, Evans. I have no idea what I did!" James exclaimed angrily._

_ "You tried to kill me!" Lily shouted._

_ "How did I try this?"_

_ "You almost hit me with the knife in Potions!"_

_ James started to laugh. "You're wrong, though. You seem to blame everything on me, Evans. I was trying to raise my hand, but forgot I had the knife in it."_

_ "I bet you were trying to kill me," she muttered._

_ James' sighed, his face going to a serious expression. "If I was trying to kill _you, don't you think I would already be expelled?"

_ "Yes," Lily sighed._

_ "PRONGS, GET OVER HERE!" yelled an unfamiliar voice._

_ James sighed and looked at Lily. "Guess that's my cue, Evans. COMING PADFOOT!" yelled James as he ran off._

_ It seemed as if Lily wasn't done with shouting, though. "You'd better get your arse back over here, Potter! Black, don't you dare!" she threatened._

_ But James and whoever Black was were long gone._

XXX

Harry woke up, drenched in a cold sweat. _Why I had to get a dream like that, of all things, _Harry thought to himself.

Although, the rest of the day went normally, although Ginny said she was going to read for the entire day, which made Harry slightly suspicious.

XXX

"One last thing," Ginny whispered quietly, before adding, "Hope Mum doesn't notice."

It was one day before Ginny would start her first year at Hogwarts, and to say she was excited was a little bit of an understatement. She was thrilled.

Stuffing her notes in her trunk, Ginny sighed. A tiny part of her was dreading the fact she had to go to Hogwarts. She silently shuddered at the thought of being in Slytherin, the house in which He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was in. But she knew she was going to be in Gryffindor.

Now, she could go have some fun. But what to do with her last day before Hogwarts, she didn't want it to be another summer day. But that's what it wound up to be, though, much to her dislike.


	7. Chapter 6: Hogwarts Again

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**A/N: 2****nd**** year already! Most of you are like, "what about more summer break?" . . . . If you're worrying, don't. I have everything planned out! Believe me; I had an idea to get rid of writer's block. Also, there are no pairings in this Fanfiction. If you don't like certain pairings (I have listed my favorite pairings.) that will probably be in the future, then I'm not forcing you to read. If you really don't care, then read on! One more thing, I am very (what's the word?) biased about certain things. This is an AU, not a minor change. This is supposed to be major change. Don't like, don't read.**

"Lovegood, Luna," called out Professor McGonagall, her emerald green robes and hat just like the previous year.

Harry saw the petite, dirty blonde haired girl hop up onto the stool, and the hat was placed on her head. It took two _minutes_, before the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

It was the second year of Hogwarts, and a very pleasant way to start off the year. Harry had been nervous about the possibility of Quirrell being at the staff table, but thankfully he wasn't. Instead, a young man, probably in his early thirties, was sitting there.

The girl, whom was Luna, started giggling like she was in on an inside joke, as she had danced over to a seat. Almost a minute after she had sat down, she pulled out a magazine, _The Quibbler_, before turning it around, so it was upside down. It must've been easy for her to read that way, as she didn't move much after that.

"Weasley, Ginny," McGonagall called out.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the Sorting Hat.

Ginny was soon sitting right next to Luna, and Dumbledore started to make his begin of term speech.

"Welcome first years, and welcome back if this is yet again your return to Hogwarts. I would just like to remind all of you that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds," Dumbledore began, although Harry was too hungry to listen to much more of it.

Harry did pay attention, however, when the new DADA teacher, Professor Lupin, was introduced. But after that, the annual feast popped out of nowhere, and Harry was too hungry to really even care.

XXX

"Luna?" asked Ginny, in the dead middle of the night.

The two were wide awake, although the other three girls in the Gryffindor girl's first year dormitory weren't. "Yes, Ginny? You're head is full of nargles, you know," Luna sighed, sorting her _The Quibbler_ magazines.

Ginny shook her head, what were nargles? "Never mind," Ginny muttered, not wanting to ask what nargles were.

"Oh. Well then, goodnight Ginny."

"Goodnight," Ginny replied, although she was far from falling asleep.

Pondering her thoughts slowly and carefully, Ginny took out her notes. "Why am I even bothering? That's right, I'm an idiot," Ginny whispered.

This was the only time Ginny would be allowed to study, she knew it. Although one book about animagi wasn't a reliable source, it was the best she had at the moment.

Studying until dawn crept into the room, Ginny had gathered enough information. She was almost done with the notes; she just had to learn the spell.

XXX

_Harry recognized James and Lily all too well, but the scene was different. They were in the Gryffindor common room, and Lily was crying as James comforted her. They both looked a little older. "You don't call your best friend a 'mudblood'!" cried Lily._

_ "Lily-flower, don't, if he can't see who you are, that's his fault," James sighed._

_ "Why do you call me Lily-flower?" Lily sighed, wiping away her tears._

_ "It suits you."_

_ "And why are you called Prongs?"_

_ "I'm not sure I should answer that," James stiffened._

_ The portrait hole opened, and a boy with shaggy black hair came in. "Hello Prongs, hello Evans," the boy grinned._

_ "Go away Sirius," mumbled Lily.  
"And miss all the fun? No, I don't think I'll do that," Sirius' smile grew wider._

_ "Padfoot, honestly," James rolled his eyes._

_ "Sirius, why is James called Prongs?" Lily asked; her bright green almond shaped eyes filled with innocence._

_ "Ah, naughty little Lily, but I guess we should go wake up Moony and Wormtail."_

_ "Padfoot!" exclaimed James as Sirius bounded up the stairs to the boy's dormitories._

_ "Now I've done it," groaned Lily._

_ "Yes, yes you have." James scowled._

_ A few minutes later, Harry saw Sirius bring down a sleepy Moony and Wormtail. "Padfoot, you are really messed up. Evans doesn't need to know," growled the brown haired boy._

_ "Remus, why are you, of all people?" Lily gasped._

_ "Yes, Moony, why you, of all people?" asked Sirius._

_ Remus rolled his eyes, before shooting a murderous glare at Sirius. "I'm going back to bed," groaned Wormtail angrily, and he went back upstairs._

_ "Great, just great!" exclaimed James. "Now she has to know!"_

_ "Know what?" asked Lily._

_ "I'm not going to frighten _her_, Padfoot," James growled._

_ "Then I will," Sirius grinned._

_ James got up with inhuman speed, but Sirius had already shimmered into, a bearlike black dog? "What the heck?" Lily fell off the couch._

XXX

Harry gasped for air, feeling like he had just witnessed a nightmare. What was wrong with him?

Deciding some fresh air would be wonderful; Harry rummaged through his trunk and grabbed his cloak, before getting dressed in Muggle clothes. Casting a charm on them so they wouldn't get ripped, he raced out of the dorm, eager to just _run_.

XXX

"So what did you do over summer break? You didn't send us many letters," Ron asked Hermione.

"I was researching. But there's nothing! Nothing at all!" groaned Hermione.

"I was expecting just as much," Harry mumbled.

"Why?"

"I'm not _normal_, remember? I'm the Boy Who Lived. And now I'm getting these whacked up dreams, too," Harry sighed.

"What kind of dreams?" Hermione asked.

"Never mind, it's not anything."

Hermione and Ron didn't push the issue further, as Ginny decided to come sit with them.


	8. Chapter 7: Nightmares

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: Ginny's POV will be appearing quite often, which I've been waiting to do! Thank you for following so far, I really appreciate the reviews and your opinions. Bits & pieces of Lily and James' in Harry's (spell check thinks Harry's is wrong. . .) dreams, as I think it is important. Rated T+ for mild language in this chapter, not much but just some insults, not really any bad language, just how it is used; thanks for reading so far!**

Ginny sighed. It was the weekend, about four months after term started, and here she was practicing. Practicing something that wasn't working at all and she was starting to get irritated.

Saying the spell for the billionth time, Ginny groaned. It didn't work. She decided to practice later, and skipped off to the library.

XXX

"Harry! Don't be stupid!" shouted Hermione, scowling at Ron & Harry.

"Relax 'Mione! We're just having fun!" replied Ron.

Harry, Ron, and the Weasley twins were trying to provoke the giant squid in the lake, so it could drown Draco Malfoy. The sea creature wasn't quite angry enough, though.

"Stupid Gryffindors think they're so _brave_," Malfoy sneered, before the squid grabbed him.

Everybody laughed, including Hermione, as Malfoy did a girl-like scream. "Get me down!" he kept on yelling.

XXX

Harry sighed. Was he really the heir of Slytherin? It was five months since term began, and after the Chamber of Secrets rumor, almost everybody believed it.

"A Cornish Pixie," answered Hermione to one of Lupin's questions.

Lupin gave ten points to Gryffindor, but Harry really didn't care. All of these rumors going around weren't helpful, as students saw him as the boy who caused the first two attacks. All because he was a Parseltongue, although Harry could also speak a Wolfish language, it didn't matter.

"Pay attention, Harry!" whispered Hermione.

Harry rolled his eyes, and went back to pondering his thoughts. He already knew all of this stuff anyways.

After class, the trio decided to go back to the Common Room. "You know, DADA is much better now, with Quirrell gone," Ron sighed.

Harry gave an involuntary shudder. Memories of Voldemort and Quirrell still sometimes gave him nightmares, when he wasn't dreaming about his parents, which he was sure the dreams were imaginary.

XXX

"_Well, Prongs, what are we going to do today?" asked Sirius._

_ Harry sighed. It was yet again another dream about his parents, and it wasn't very pleasant to see three boys he didn't know: Remus, Sirius, and Peter._

_ "No idea what you three are doing," James replied._

_ Sirius frowned. "What do you mean?"_

_ "I have to do something today."_

_ "Are you going to tell me?" asked Sirius, since they were the only two in the Common Room._

_ "Nope," answered James, before walking out the portrait hole._

_ Harry followed; as he had realized a few of these dreams ago he could only wake up once they ended. James led him through countless corridors, until they stopped at one, with a seventeen year old girl looking out the window, and she had dark red hair._

_ "Hello Lily-flower," James grinned._

_ Lily turned around and Harry groaned. His imagination sure liked to torture him. "Hello James," she smiled._

_ Harry watched as some kids walked past, their eyes wide with shock as Lily hugged James. "I thought she hated him," whispered one of the girls._

_ "Well _Potter_, never thought you would be so high," a greasy black haired boy smirked._

_ Lily went a bright red, almost matching her hair, and retorted, "Severus, go back to your stupid Death Eaters!"_

_ Severus? "Yes Severus, go somewhere else," James growled._

_ Severus bristled and almost shouted, "You should know better, Potter. Or is it that your thick skull-"_

_ "Come on Lily, we don't need to hear his arse make a fool of himself," James put his arm over Lily's shoulders and they walked away._

_ "Thought you were better than that Evans," Severus snarled._

_ Lily stiffened before retorting, "At least I don't call my best friends 'mud-bloods'."_

_ James and Lily walked away, and Harry followed them, as Severus ran off. "He has such a nerve," muttered Lily._

_ "Lily, don't worry, you want to go back to the Common Room?" asked James; he noticed the tears forming in her eyes._

_ "Yes," Lily wiped away her tears before adding, "Let's go see what Padfoot is up to."_

_ James grinned and led her towards the Gryffindor portrait hole. But, the dream didn't stop there, which Harry found odd. Usually they would've stopped by now._

_ He stepped inside before the portrait hole closed, wanting to see what the commotion was all about. He watched as Remus was dodging attacks from a girl, which must be normal since Sirius and Peter were laughing at him. "Lupin, you'd better give me that book back!" the girl shrieked._

_ Harry sighed; his imagination couldn't get any more worse. Now a Remus Lupin, which sounded like Professor Lupin's name, was in this world. Could it get any worse?_

_ "Moony give her the book back," sighed James._

_ Remus paused for a moment, before saying, "It's just about animagi and transfiguration. Besides, she said I could borrow it."_

_ "Yes, I did. Now I want it back!" the girl sighed._

_ Lily giggled, as the girl clearly wanted the book back. "Yeah, Head Boy orders it!" Sirius joked._

_ Remus rolled his eyes, but Harry noticed something. Where was Peter?_

_ "Hello Padfoot," Lily and James sat on one of the sofas in the room._

_ "Hello Evans, hello Prongs," Sirius repeated the same serious tone Lily had._

_ "Well, Snape decided it would be fun to insult us," James started the conversation of the three._

_ "Then you should have docked points!"_

_ "Fine I will. Twenty points from Slytherin," Lily mumbled, tears coming back to her eyes._

XXX

Harry woke up, drenched in the same cold sweat he hated. "Another outing is in call for," he muttered.

Getting dressed, and getting the invisibility cloak, Harry fled the dormitory, meanwhile casting a charm on his clothes so they wouldn't rip.


	9. Chapter 8: Loopy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far! Like I said before, I give the trio and most characters at Hogwarts more brains than they probably have. So if you see a genius-like Harry and Ron in the future, do not be surprised. I'm also speeding forward, since nothing really interesting besides the Polyjuice Potion, and I don't want to write a whole chapter about that.**

"Well _Potter_, it seems you just love the limelight," Malfoy sneered, his chalky face even more pale than usual.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry sighed angrily.

"Parselmouth you'd better not send that basilisk to petrify me. At least I'm not a mudblood."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron froze. They were outside, the cold and bitter air thrashing the trees and the Womping Willow wildly. "What did you say?" Hermione gasped.

"What, Granger? Or are you too stupid realize what I said," laughed Malfoy.

That did it. In a flash, Malfoy was a pale green color, and he opened his mouth, but slugs came out. Ron had his wand out, pointing it directly at Malfoy. Harry was backing away slowly, his eyes wide, and they seemed to be glowing right through his fake glasses, and Ginny performed a Leg-Locking Curse on Malfoy, while Hermione was running back to the castle, her eyes like dinner plates with shock and fear.

XXX

Luna skipped off to the Great Hall, her always wide eyes looking at the paintings as she went. In her idea, the paintings were marvelous, each one unique and strange. But as she skipped, and heard the increasing noise of chatter, she sighed. Life wasn't always the best for her. Her father was out hunting the creatures that no one else believed existed. She had not heard from him in a while, which worried her, but she convinced herself he was alright.

Ignoring the usual snickers as she sat down across from Ginny, she noticed that someone from the "pack", as they called it, was missing. Hermione wasn't sitting at the whole Gryffindor Table. The three left besides her wore glum expressions, before Ron sadly explained, "Hermione was petrified by the basilisk."

Luna nodded, her ivory skin going a few shades paler. Taking out the latest edition of _The Quibbler_, she started to read, but two Weasleys sat down right next to her. "Heard about Hermione, such a shame, I bet Malfoy did it," one of them sighed.

Luna didn't look up from her magazine, though. She couldn't tell the Weasley twins apart, anyways. "Who is she?" one of them asked, and Luna found her magazine ripped out of her hands.

"_The Quibbler_?" one of them asked, shaking his head, before adding, "Why, though?"

"Oh look its Loony Loopy Lovegood and her stupid magazines," laughed a very familiar voice, and Luna turned around to see what angered her most, a chalky face with pale blonde hair.

"Do we need to get the squid in here Fred?" asked George.

Luna giggled as Malfoy paled, before throwing her magazine at her. She didn't mind, though, but the twins had already started chasing Malfoy out of the Great Hall.

XXX

Harry, Luna, Ginny, and Ron were staring at the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room, their eyes unmoving. Each was grief stricken, as the antidote for petrifaction wasn't going well, and they were all worried. Ginny was reading a book that no one but her had heard of, and she wouldn't tell the name of it. Luna was reading the latest edition of _The Quibbler_, while Ron was doing homework. Harry was reading an animagi book that Hermione had not yet heard of, or at least trying to. They were all trying to do their tasks, but so far unsuccessful.

"It isn't right," mumbled Luna, her eyes now unfocused.

"What isn't?" asked Ron.

"The fact that Hermione was petrified, for one reason; I know that the basilisk did it, but who would control it? Whoever thinks its Harry has a head full of nargles, but Malfoy certainly isn't a candidate, neither is any of Slytherin," she replied, her eyes trying to focus on the fire.

"That actually makes sense!" exclaimed Harry.

"How so?" Ginny and Ron's voices spoke up.

"Think about it. Parseltongues are really rare, right? And I'm the only one in the school, since I've been the only one noticing the basilisk speak. But who could it be?"

"I think I have an idea," Ginny sighed, her voice now trembling, "It was me."

All three of the remaining of the pack froze, their eyes getting to be as wide as CD disks. Nothing was said for a long time, until Ron snarled, "It was not you, Ginny."

She shook her head, sighing. "I've been doing things when I'm not researching, things I can't explain," she cried, and she went on to tell the story of her blackouts among other things, except one.

"Ginny, what have you been researching?" asked Ron, his eyes still wide with shock, his voice barely a whisper.

Luna put her magazine away, and looked at Ginny. "You might as well tell them Ginny; you're on the brink of it. You have the books the Marauders didn't have," was all Luna said, before her eyes went unfocused again.

"I have an idea of what you're researching," Harry shook his head, before adding, "Ginny, please don't tell me you're researching to do _that_. And who are the Marauders?"

Ginny bit her lip, but sighed in relief as Luna said something absurd, "I only know of the Marauders from that darned _map_ the Twins have, and what Lupin has said in the hallways. Ginny, tell Ron."

Ginny again bit her lip before saying, "Fine you got me! Yes, Harry, I'm researching to become an animagus, and I'm about ready with the spell."

"Ginny you're not going to do that," Harry growled.

"Harry, it's already kind of late for that. She did the binding spell, I watched her do it. Besides, she's excited about finding out what her animagus form is," Luna explained.

"What spell?" Ron incredulously asked.

"The binding spell, it binds you to the animagus spell," Harry growled again.

But suddenly, something wasn't right about Ginny. Her eyes went completely unfocused, her hands shook slightly. She started to move towards the Portrait Hole, and walked out of the Common Room. "Ginny? Ginny where are you going," Ron shouted, but Ginny didn't seem to notice.

"The blackouts," Ron exclaimed, before demanding at Harry, "Where's your invisibility cloak? We need to get to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom!"

"Why?"

"I noticed a snake mark on one of the faucets, and it wouldn't work," Ron quickly groaned, before rushing up the boy's dormitory stairs.

"I'm coming too; your heads will just get full of nargles. Besides-"

"Luna, you're not coming. I'll put the Leg-Locking Curse on you," Harry threatened, and Luna pouted.

"I got the cloak," Ron panted.

"Then let's go. We got no time to waste," Harry and Ron hid under the cloak, their eyes wide with worry.

"Be careful!" was all Luna called out.

Harry and Ron weren't paying attention, though. Harry was just hoping nothing bad was going to happen to Ginny.

**A/N: Okay, okay, okay, this is very important, I think. All of you are probably like, "Why did you make Luna know about the Marauders?" I thought it was very important, and still is. Luna is supposed to be a very dreamy-like character, and she is in this FF, and she is very important.**


	10. Chapter 9: Into the Chamber

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**A/N: Thank you for following so far! There is still one more chapter after this, for Hogwarts, Harry's 2****nd**** year, and then summer break again. I will be writing a sequel to this FF, since you all seem to like it. In this AU, I don't make Luna as "crazy" as she seems, I make her seem more like a creative girl with a grump attitude, but she is bullied, as you can see, so kind of OOC.**

Harry and Ron ran past the collection of students and teachers, gawking at the description they knew they would dread to stop and see. Running past anything and everything, they silently crept into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"What a foolish little girl, I wonder if her ghost will come back," cooed a crying Myrtle, before breaking into sobs again.

Ignoring the cries and sobs, Harry came out from under the cloak, and opened the Chamber of Secrets. It was all he could do from stopping to scream and yell for help.

XXX

Luna rushed off to Dumbledore's office, her face a chalky white, similar to Malfoy's. But to her anger, she couldn't remember the password, so instead she yelled, screamed more like it, at the top of her lungs, "POTTER AND WEASLEY ARE IN DANGER!"

The gargoyles looked taken aback by her sudden outburst, but leapt aside, not wanting to upset her even more. And before she knew it, she was in Dumbledore's office, looking at him desperately. "Professor Dumbledore, sir. Harry & Ron went after Ginny, they know about the basilisk, and-"

Dumbledore at once rose to his feet, his face in knots of chagrin and alarm. "Go find Professor McGonagall, tell her immediately that she needs to have every student back in their houses," was all he told her.

Understanding, Luna swept out of the room, and ran past curious bystanders, since curfew was past broken, it was now invisible to every staff member and student. Screaming at the top of her lungs all the while, "If anybody in their right mind knows what's best for them, THEY will get back to their houses! Professor McGonagall!"

Emerald green robes turned around, and McGonagall looked at her incredulously. "The basilisk is down in the Chamber, Professor, but Dumbledore says we _have_ to get every student in their houses."

XXX

Where was she? All she saw was blackness, and more blackness. All she remembered was Harry telling Ron about the binding spell she did.

She slightly heard Harry's voice, although it seemed miles away. She knew her wand was still in her pocket; thank goodness Riddle hadn't taken that. She heard low rasps vaguely, that of something she feared of.

Her thoughts sluggish, she tried to move, but couldn't. Harry was in danger, with Riddle being so close. If only she could utter a spell, then she could save Harry, but she could do nothing, and a sense of helplessness washed over her.

_Ouch_, she mentally groaned. Something was _stabbing _her, literally going right through her ribs. Again, it seemed to puncture her stomach. This time, though, it was more painful. A boy screeched in pain, knocking her to her senses.

"Ginny? Wake up, Ginny!" yelled a familiar voice.

Her eyes opened, and she sat up. "Harry?" she gasped, before breaking into sobs, "Oh Harry I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have talked to the book-"

"Ginny, you need to get out of here," Harry winced, a deep gash on his forearm.

"But you're hurt."

"I can't go anywhere anyways. Go to Ron, you two need to find Dumbledore."

"I never leave my friends behind."

"Ginny, go."

An adrenaline rush swept through Ginny, and her mind clogged up. Uttering a spell that wasn't much success, Ginny thought it would be useless.

XXX

"Ginny, no!" gasped Harry as soon as the spell was uttered. Harry knew she had a knack for Charms and Transfiguration, but this was unexpected.

Ginny shimmered, and a strawberry blonde wolf took her place, while Fawkes healed Harry's arm. Harry paid attention to both at once, and surprise was clearly in his face.

XXX

Luna skipped off to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Professor Dumbledore and the Heads of Houses following her. She went into the bathroom, knowing that the Chamber would open any single second.

And she was right, the sinks pushed away from each other, a rasping snake-like voice coming from below. Fawkes, a phoenix Luna found to be interesting, flew into the bathroom, and the three from the pack that went down there climbed out.

Luna inspected their expressions carefully. Ron, who was still white in the face, muttered something as he saw the Professors; Ginny and Harry, on the other hand, looked worried, happy, and relieved. "Hello," Harry grinned, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"What on _earth_ were you three doing down there?" gasped McGonagall, her face a pearly white.

"It's a long story," replied Ginny, although she wasn't panting like Ron was, and Luna gasped as she realized what that meant.

"I think we have plenty of time for that," Dumbledore smiled, before adding, "You four, come with me. We have much to discuss."

Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Ron followed slowly, while the Head of Houses started discussing something. "You did it?" asked Luna, barely audible.

"Yep, who knew getting angry was the key?" Ginny glared at Ron and Harry, ignoring Ron's glares back.

"Why, Ginny?" demanded Ron sadly.

"Oh shut it, it's not like I did something bad," snapped Ginny.

XXX

The pack, except Hermione, sat in Dumbledore's Office, each one having a worried look on their faces. "So, what happened?" asked Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement.

So they began their tale, but stopped at when Ginny woke up. Harry and Ginny looked at each other nervously, before Ginny spoke up, "I woke up, and I casted a spell."

"What spell did you cast?" Dumbledore questioned politely.

"Do you have an idea, sir?" she replied, her voice thick with worry.

"I think I do; the animagus spell if I'm correct?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore."

"And I'm guessing it worked correctly?"

Luna shrugged her shoulders as Harry, Ginny, and Ron looked at Dumbledore in shock. "It was obvious. Why would you two be grinning?" Luna sighed.

"Obvious?"

"Indeed," laughed Luna.

"You will have to register, Ginny," Dumbledore noted, before another word could be said. "Now, here come Molly and Arthur."

Ron and Ginny groaned. How would their parents react to all of this?

"Ginny!" gasped Molly, as Arthur and Molly ran up to their children and Harry.

"I'm okay, Mum," a strained reply came from Ginny.

And off they went, retelling their tale. It seemed that everything was perfect, except for a minor detail. Little did they know that their friend missing in action had just been cured from her petrifaction?


	11. Chapter 10: Lost

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**A/N: Ok, first things first, I'm so sorry 'bout the wait! I'm actually trying to write a book that I made, not a fanfiction, and I'm also trying to start my first Twilight Saga fanfiction, but there are only so many hours I have in a day, around ten hours a day, and even then, I get easily distracted. So before you go, 'what the heck TGWIS?' that is what happened. I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to update, my schedule is very busy all of the sudden, not including my other writing pieces. You might not want to read this chapter; it contains very, very, very sad things, and it is slightly disturbing. This chapter should only be read if you are thirteen or older, mild violence.**

Hermione almost broke into a run as she came into the Great Hall. "Hello everyone," she grinned as she took her seat right next to Ginny.

"'Mione!" all of her friends gasped, their faces showing their excitement and surprise.

The daily owls came into the Great Hall, delivering last minute gifts and letters, and a newspaper called the _Daily Prophet_.

But an all too familiar snowy white owl flew down to the Gryffindor Table, and she landed right between the pack. "Wonder if she's got my registration," Ginny sighed.

"Registration?" asked a bewildered Hermione.

"I want it to be a surprise," giggled Ginny as she looked through the packages.

Harry rolled his eyes. "It isn't that much of a surprise," he shook his head.

"I found it!" gasped Ginny, tearing the contents open. "The registration certificate, finally!"

"An _animagus_ registration," Hermione exclaimed, her eyes like dinner plates.

"Yes, yes, you weren't there when I did the binding spell, or the animagus spell."

"I was there for the binding spell," Luna chided.

"And I was there for the animagus spell. Still, shame on you Ginny," joked Harry.

XXX

The days came and went, and soon it was time for Harry to return to his relatives. A wave of sadness washed over him as he remembered that Vernon and Dudley hated magic, and that it was only Petunia who would allow it.

"So what are you guys doing this summer?" asked Hermione.

"Staying with my relatives," muttered Harry sadly.

"We have no idea, honestly. Our parents said something about vacation," Ginny explained.

Luna spoke up, her eyes unfocused and her voice dreamy, "Daddy says we're going to go to Switzerland."

They talked and ate snacks for the entire train ride, before it was time to go. Going through the archway to Kings Cross Station, they found their families, and soon after left for the summer.

XXX

"Ginny!"

"Not now, Fred."

"Too bad," laughed Fred, a big grin on his face. "You want to play Quidditch?"

"Sure, but I'm only saying that because you're going to force me to."

"Good call."

Fred and Ginny ran to the small clearing that they owned, which was hidden in the trees so no muggles would see.

XXX

"Mum! I want some more bacon," wailed Dudley, his complaints getting more annoying to Harry.

Harry wasn't actually in the same room as Dudley; he was actually on the second floor of number 4 on Privet Drive. But his heightened sense of hearing made him hear everything in the house; the television downstairs, the sizzling cracks coming from the kitchen and the wails coming from Dudley.

Everything was almost back to normal, although there were a few minor changes. Harry would stick mostly in his room, now, not wanting to get any attention; the garden was much nicer, and the neighbors no longer complained about him.

But that didn't mean he didn't like Privet Drive now, it was just not as hectic as it used to be. The feeling was bittersweet, like a droplet of blood after an injury; it was funny if the injury was an accident, but it hurt.

"Mum!" Harry was starting to get annoyed with Dudley's antics.

XXX

"Daddy," Luna called, her musical voice filling the silence of the wilderness.

The Swiss Alps were beautiful, enchanting, so enchanting. But yet, something wasn't right. Where was Luna's father? He only said he would take a few minutes, but it was getting closer to an hour since he left.

Grabbing the lantern, Luna walked into the thick and dark forest ahead of her, silently scared. Going through the branches, Luna finally found a clearing, but it was horrifying at what she saw.

Her father lay there, in the clearing, blood soaking his clothes, his skin ash grey and chalky white, but in a bad way, unlike Malfoy's. His eyes were closed, a look of shock upon his face, but she knew that look all too well to know what it was, it was the look of death by accident.

"Daddy, no, daddy, you aren't dead!" cried Luna, rushing to her father, tears brimming over her eyes.  
She didn't know how long she sat there, crying, ignoring all human needs. What would she do? Her father was dead, and it was all her fault. She let him go into the forest, even though she had a bad feeling about it.

Something nudged her shoulder, taking her out of the depressing trance. She looked up, and saw the most unusual creature. It looked like a horse, but yet it wasn't. It was reptile-like, so thin its black and scaly skin showed its ribs, but yet, it looked healthy. The creature's eyes were filled with concern, and more importantly, curiosity.

"Hello there," mumble Luna, her eyes red and puffy and her throat sore.

The creature nudged her again, and then motioned her to get on its back, which she did, while noticing it's even more scaly wings. It flew, all of the sudden, and Luna grabbed the thin black mane it had.

Hoping she could escape this nightmare, Luna didn't bother to scream for help; maybe this creature was nice, as it seemed so. Tears still flowed down her cheeks, but yet, the sadness was slowly turning into a dull feeling. She was becoming numb from the sadness, numb.

She didn't try to block out the feeling, nor embrace it; she couldn't even grasp hold of why she shouldn't be crying. The creature still flew on, and she didn't even care. The scenery was very amazing, and yet, she didn't care. Her father was her only living relative, and now she was alone. Alone, but somehow not alone, this creature was here for her. Odd at it may be, she didn't want to let go, this creature was a safe animal, and kind.

A sad smile formed on her lips, and still clutching the black hair, she fell asleep, into a dreamless sleep at that.


	12. Chapter 11: New Term

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**A/N: Hello my wonderful viewers! We now begin with year three! I'm sad, though. This means that my first fanfiction is almost over! But the sequel has already been in my mind for a while now; longer chapters, only in two character's POV, etc. I also have a one-shot that I will upload once the sequel is at a certain point. Ok, that's all.**

"Harry!" a voice shouted his name, and he recognized it as Ginny Weasley, her red hair bouncing as she ran up to him.

"Hello, Ginny. Where are your siblings, and Hermione and Luna for that matter?" Harry asked politely.

"They're already on the train, c'mon!" Ginny led him to the train compartment.

"Hello everyone," Harry grinned as he opened the compartment door.

Luna, Ron, and Hermione all greeted him pleasantly, and they soon started chatting. "We went to Egypt this summer, it was amazing!" Ginny told him.

"Yeah, it was," Ron added.

"I didn't go anywhere," Hermione sighed.

Luna didn't say anything, though. Had she not gone to the Swiss Alps? Finally, when she said something, it was a lie, Harry could tell, "I had a fun time, and we went to the Swiss Alps and found a few creatures."

Ginny glanced at Harry; she too could tell it was a lie. Hermione and Ron didn't seem to notice, though. They smiled and told Luna that was great, and the train ride continued with much more happiness.

But there were a few changes that Luna had. Her current clothes were sprinkled with dirt; she didn't carry _The Quibbler _anymore, either. This concerned Harry, what could have possibly happened?

The lights suddenly flickered out, and Ginny whimpered slightly. "This isn't right," was all she said.

But they soon came back on, and the train, which had stopped before, was now moving again, and so was the conversation. "Did you hear about Black?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "I heard. How could somebody escape from Azkaban?"

"It was supposedly impossible. Supposedly, that's where the mistake is," Hermione shook her head. "Dementors are supposed to guard the place, so how was Black able to sneak through? Unless he did it somehow with magic, but he didn't have his wand!"

"'Mione, some stuff doesn't require a wand, like accidental magic."

"Yes, but, it seems impossible he could've done accidental magic at that age!"

"It is possible, but not likely," Harry noted, watching Ron and Hermione's argument.

"Harry's right. Accidental magic can happen at any age, but it is very unlikely. Usually people just act on impulse, not accidentally," Ginny blushed slightly when she finished her comment.

XXX

The new term had started off with a bang, literally. Fred and George Weasley had made fireworks appear in the 'sky' ceiling over the Great Hall. Showers of fireworks landed on the Slytherins, and everybody laughed, except for a few teachers, one in particular.

"Weasleys get back here this instance!" shouted McGonagall.

But the twins had already disappeared, leaving the students and staff to laugh at the sight; the Slytherins were covered in paint. Red and gold paint, for that matter, the Gryffindor colors, and it was easy to tell the Slytherins were furious, especially Draco Malfoy.

"How dare those blood traitors! Their filthy pranks are humiliating!" the Slytherin ranted.

Although he shouted his complaints, the pack could care less. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Luna were having a wonderful time; the feast was excellent, the fireworks were amazing, and the Sorting Hat had seemed to give a wonderful song, about friendships and uniting the Houses. Overall, the evening was excellent.

It wasn't until they were in the Common Room that the fun began. It had turned out, Fred and George had somehow sneaked in butterbeer, or had gone to Hogsmeade when they had escaped the fuming McGonagall. A party had decided to be thrown, and they had an awful lot of fun.

The first and second years had left at ten, but it wasn't until midnight that people had cleared out, except for the golden five. They were still enjoying the last of the butterbeers, and Harry couldn't help but feel excited and wondered what Hogsmeade would be like. Petunia had signed the permission slip, much to Vernon's anger, but Harry was happy by the time the slip was signed.

Luna had declared she was tired, and had gone upstairs, and so had Ginny. Harry had decided to read a book about werewolves, and Ron was sleeping on the couch, since he had crashed.

Hermione, on the other hand, was rereading one of their required books, mumbling to herself the basics of each page. It seemed to be entertaining to her, Harry noted, because she was entirely focused on reading the book.

"Do you really think Black could've escaped by accidental magic?" Hermione asked; which caused Harry to jump in shock.

"I don't know. It seems likely, but it doesn't fit. How could he possibly escape? Like I said it doesn't fit."

Hermione nodded, and Crookshanks, her cat, jumped up onto her lap. He purred slightly, but it didn't seem to catch the attention of the two. Harry yawned, and later said, "Well, I'm going to bed," and with that, he headed up to the third year's boys dormitory.

The night lurked slowly into dawn, and Harry woke up to the sun streaming in on his face. He quickly got dressed, not wanting to be late to class on his first day back, especially since the class was Potions.

He went down to the Great Hall, and met up with his friends, but Luna was missing. Had she decided to skip breakfast entirely? Was she ill? Luna was Harry's friend, a good friend at that, and he didn't want to see his friends like what she was being at the moment. It concerned him.

But these thoughts were not short lived, however, even in his Potions class. He had created a perfect potion, with Hermione's help, and the thoughts clouded his mind. It tortured his thoughts, causing him a headache, but that really couldn't be helped.

Ginny had the same thoughts as Harry, he later learned, when Luna even skipped lunch. Ginny was Luna's best friend, and she didn't know why Luna would skip meals like this. It wasn't like her at all, even her dreamy times; she only skipped a meal once a month, not twice in a day.

When Luna had finally shown up for a meal, which was dinner, she didn't say much. She looked much better, a small smile on her face, but her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.

When asked, though, she had simply stated that she wasn't hungry before, and now she was. Harry and Ginny had exchanged quick glances at this answer, as before, it was obvious that she was lying. And just as before, Ron and Hermione had accepted this fact without much thought.

The next few days were quite quiet, besides Luna was now skipping a meal or two each day. Her eyes were no longer red, though, and her expression was much happier than before. Harry had come to the conclusion she would share what was depressing her when the time was ready, and Ginny had agreed with his thoughts.


	13. Chapter 12: Sirius Black

**Disclaimer: I do not own HP, J.K. Rowling does**

**A/N: A new POV! Another chapter! Thanks for the reviews and such! I don't have much more to say, but enjoy!**

Sirius Black had never thought he would want revenge on one of his best friends so badly, but traitor was more like the word. Peter Pettigrew, the traitor, he had killed Lily and James Potter. Peter Pettigrew deserved to die.

Pettigrew had stolen Harry's parents away from him, his godfather in Azkaban, or was. Sirius had waited for thirteen years, almost, for the day he would be able to escape from the Dementors, from the torture of crazy wizards and witches.

He had waited for a long time, to be able to taste the salty taste of revenge. He had kept still, waiting, for the right moment. And the moment had come.

_The Daily Prophet_, a wizard newspaper, had shown a happy redheaded family, consisting of an animagus. But he had paid no attention to that small fact. It was the rat in the boy's hands, the boy, Ron Weasley, had a rat in his hands; and that rat had a missing toe, or rather, claw.

Black, as wizards called him now, had gone missing that very night he had seen the newspaper, and many wondered how he had done it. Sirius Black was an unregistered animagus, and he had slunk through the bars of his cell and past those foul creatures.

Revenge was a bittersweet topic, he had known that. He would regret the decisions he had made, but he wouldn't regret killing Pettigrew, if it came to that. Sirius was determined to not kill Pettigrew, as he wanted Pettigrew to die a painful death, or have a painful torture, the Dementor's Kiss, to suck out a person's very soul, if Pettigrew had one.

He had traveled a many days, until he reached Hogwarts land, waiting for the right moment to strike. Waiting for the right moment to kill the foul man who had killed his very own friends, waiting, but never acting; for, Sirius had learned patience was the key.

There were many things Sirius had learned in Azkaban. Many things that he would never regret learning; learning was the key to survival. And surviving meant putting people to justice, even if it had to be the person blamed himself.

He had seen many things in the nights he had waited, but a cat had agreed to the foul justice Pettigrew deserved, the cat had agreed to help. If anything, Pettigrew was no longer a man, but a monster, a monster that deserved to die.

XXX

It was one of those many nights he had waited, waited ever so patiently, in his bearlike dog form that a strange sight had played upon him, a very strange sight indeed.

He had been about ready to sleep for a few hours, for the night at least, when he had heard a rustle in the distance. Thinking it was Crookshanks, the cat who had agreed to help him that he saw two wolves. One had midnight fur, the fur barely able to be seen in the night. The other, a brilliant shade of strawberry blonde, which shone in the dark night; this was very shocking, all in all.

The wolves were chasing each other, streaks in the night, laughing their wolfish laughs. Black was surprised by this, as they were clearly not originally wolves.

They went near the Womping Willow, without even caring, and the tree swayed slightly, but didn't hit them. The wolves danced through the trees, in and out of the Forbidden Forest, but they didn't seem to care. Finally, they stopped, their wolfish laughs not stopping.

When they transformed back into their human forms, it was clearly a boy and a girl, laughing still, and playfully hitting each other, but in a friendly way. They seemed to enjoy the sky, their laughs echoing barely.

Sirius sunk even more into the shadows of the woods, watching them laugh. They said things barely audible, and the boy took out a cloak. He put it on the both of them, and they disappeared! Sirius nearly yelped in surprise, there was only one Cloak that could've survived this long, James' cloak.

The boy had to be Harry, there was no other explanation. Only Harry could have had the Cloak by now, the Cloak of Invisibility. And as Sirius slowly recounted up the years, he knew he was right. By now Harry should have been in his third year of Hogwarts, and by now Harry should have had the Cloak.

It could not have been possible. Harry shouldn't have been an animagus, it shouldn't have been possible, and it couldn't have been accomplished at such a young age. The girl, on the other hand, was probably a second year, she was probably a prodigy. But Harry, how could it have been accomplished? These questions raced across Black's mind, causing him to think even faster.

It couldn't be; it wasn't possible. It shouldn't even be an accomplishment by the redheaded girl, who, Sirius guessed, was Ginny Weasley. It had to be her; she was mentioned in the Prophet.

A cat's silhouette danced across the landscape, and Crookshanks came to give him the information the cat had recently discovered. By the time that was done, Sirius Black was exhausted, thoughts still swirling in his mind, speculations running freely and dangerously in his mind.

XXX

The chatter in the Great Hall was an exciting tune to Ginny, it meant another day had passed, and a new one was beginning. The morning chatter had almost always never stopped, and it filled the corridors with echoes and chants of a mystical aura.

She silently walked into the Great Hall, hunger clawing at her stomach, before she sat down right next to Luna. It was a rare occasion when Luna would eat breakfast, and it was one of those days. But, knowing Luna, she would probably skip lunch or dinner, or both for that matter.

Ginny sometimes caught George looking over at Luna, worriedly. But Ginny had dismissed the fact as a simple prank he was planning.

Harry, like Ginny, was concerned for Luna. Late at night, after they had ran all over Hogwarts, they had discussed the topic. And since they didn't need more than three hours of sleep, they could frequently talk about it. Although Luna wasn't really sharing anything about her summer, or where she went when she wasn't at meals, they had come to the conclusion she would share in her own time.

The Slytherins had always viewed Ginny's family as blood traitors, especially herself now. Pure bloods weren't supposed to be animagi; it had angered them that she had decided to take the 'foul' path. Not like she had really cared anyways, she had hated the terms 'blood traitors' or 'mudbloods', it was actually insulting themselves, with such foul language.

Grabbing a piece of toast, Ginny ate it slowly, not really hungry at all. But she forced food down; knowing today was the Quidditch game, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, and she didn't want to miss any of it, just because of an empty stomach.

XXX

Later on, Ginny had joined in the party; Gryffindor had won! It was yet another thing to rub in the faces of the Slytherins. But she really wasn't paying attention to that; she was more excited for the night to come.

And it came soon enough, and she enjoyed the sky and the aromas and even the nature itself. It was magical, mystical, and mythical. Everything would be just fine, is what these nightly chases had taught her.

Occasionally, they would actually hunt the deer in the Forbidden Forest, just to keep the overgrowing population in check. They hadn't really made friends with the centaurs, but the unicorns had taken a liking to them.

Letting her thoughts wander, she silently pondered the thought of the reptilian like horses she had seen. Supposedly, they were thestrals, which could only be seen by those who had seen death. But she had seen that foul journal die, and her wolfish instincts might be the cause of it, too. Harry, on the other hand, had seen his parents die, so it could be it. They were also friends with the thestrals, and a few werewolves, but that was it. The rest of the Forbidden Forest had remained a mystery, of what it contained and if those creatures were friendly or not.


	14. Chapter 13: Fallen

**Disclaimer: JKR owns HP, not me**

**A/N: This chapter is mainly in Ginny's POV, but some other POVs as well. Thank you for your support so far, it isn't always easy writing FFs. So I appreciate you reading mine.**

Ginny screamed at the top of her lungs. It couldn't be. But it was, and that made her scream all the more louder. She heard Ron, Hermione, and Luna gasp, but she herself screamed. She screamed, and screamed, and screamed. It couldn't be him, not him! Anyone but him, but yet it was. It was him, and everything seemed to go in slow motion as she watched in horror.

Harry was falling from the sky, the stormy sky, like he was a ragdoll. It couldn't be possible he was falling, but as Ginny watched, it was possible, clearly. She cried as Dumbledore saved Harry from certain death, and cried even more when she realized that Harry could have died. It was too much to take in, she ran, bumping into quite a few Slytherins. They tried to curse her, but Ginny was gone. She couldn't keep it all in. She threw curses at them back, but it didn't make her cry any less.

She ran, tears pouring down her cheeks, until she fell onto her knees. Her emotions were too strong to take in, so she cried them out. She cried and cried, but nothing helped. Barely aware that somebody was watching her, she cried more.

When she was finally done, she went back into the castle, rubbing her red eyes with her sleeve. She cursed anybody, with magic this time, who got in her way, but the teachers weren't around. She could only guess where they were at.

It was obvious that Harry's broom was destroyed, as she knew it couldn't survive such disastrous weather on its own. How could it?

She lied down on the couch, the nearest one to the fire, and she went to sleep soon after.

XXX

Aware of the sounds in the Common Room, Ginny groaned. The noise had given her a headache while she was asleep, but she heard a familiar voice laugh, "She's awake!"

Ginny, who almost had a heart attack, bolted right into a sitting position, making her head spin and lightheaded; but she heard the same laughter as she replied, "Not funny."

"Harry quit it! You didn't see her, she was a mess," Luna scolded.

The voices in the room echoed in her ears, and she rubbed her eyes with palms of her hands before the room settled into a clear focus. The first people she saw were Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Luna. She then saw George and Fred, each shaking with laughter.

"How long have I been out?" she asked, she felt stiff with too much sleep.

"About fifteen hours," replied Luna.

"Well that was stupid."

"That's an understatement."

"Fred!"

"What? It is."

XXX

He fell…. And fell…. and fell. Sirius was horror struck. His godson was about to die, until Dumbledore saved him.

But his horror was quickly forgotten as Ginny Weasley came running, and she collapsed, crying. Tears slowly made a puddle as she cried. Did Harry actually die? He couldn't have!

After nearly two hours, Ginny stopped crying, but he noted that she flung hexes at anybody who had gotten in her way, including a pale skinned blonde boy.

But Harry couldn't have died! Sirius didn't want to believe it, and he didn't.

XXX

Ginny laughed, her head shaking with laughter. "It wasn't that funny!" Ron muttered.

"But it was!" Ginny replied.

"No it wasn't!"

"Really, Ron, it was! You just got Malfoy hexed, and then he made you vomit slugs!"

"It was disgusting."

"Yes, but, it was funny!"

"It really was," Luna giggled with laughter.

George laughed too. Luna had stated before that George was her friend now, but nobody really knew why, and how for that matter, they could be friends. They were polar opposites. Luna was dreamy, stern, and polite; while George was creative, rebellious, and rude at certain points. But Ginny was one of the few to not really care, besides Harry, as they knew Luna was hiding something from them.

"It's not like Malfoy didn't deserve it, that idiot," George pitched in to the conversation.

Everybody knew Fred had gotten himself into another detention, which was why he was absent. Fred had usually hung around George and Luna, since their friend, Lee Jordan, had to suddenly move to a new country. It had shocked everyone that Fred had actually thrown at least a dozen hexes at Malfoy before a furious Professor McGonagall had given Fred two weeks' worth of detention.

So it was just the six of them in the Common Room, since it was a sunny day outside, everybody else was outside, except them. They had found that it was too hot for them, so they ditched the sunny day altogether.

"I wonder if Malfoy is done with screaming how humiliated he is yet," Ginny wondered aloud, much to her own amusement.

"Probably not, he has such an evil temper, it's annoying," replied Harry.

"You can almost hear him shouting about how we're 'Those no good blood traitors' or that word."

"Yes, even though he is annoying, his rants are always all the more idiotic than he is," laughed Hermione, willing to make foul jokes about another student.

"I wish it wasn't steaming hot outside today."

"Me either. It's annoying. It's March for crying out loud! It shouldn't be so hectic with the heat yet," Harry complained.

"I agree," Luna sighed.

They spent the rest of the afternoon making fun of Malfoy, talking about the terrible thunderstorm that had conspired two months earlier, and just plain enjoying the cool air inside the castle.

It wasn't until later that the rest of the Gryffindor students came back inside, covered in sweat, much to the pack and George's complaints. Although it wasn't as bad as the Slytherins, they had heard, since Fred had somehow managed to escape his detention and hex almost the whole lot of them.

Little did they know what was about to happen that very night, as Ginny noticed something wasn't right. Somebody was watching them.


	15. Chapter 14: Dementor's Kiss

**Disclaimer: I do not own HP, JKR does**

**A/N: Just the epilogue left, sadly. Reasons why? The epilogue is going to be posted ASAP. The last bit of this first part of the story is more important than another chapter, and I don't want people to be like 'why no epilogue, this end of the FF?' The whole part of this FF was to tell of Harry's first three years of his Hogwarts education. If I included more than just that, it would be over fifty chapters long. The sequel is going to be only his fourth year, and so on. By the way, the sequel's name is going to be **_**Escaping the Fire**_**.**

Everybody looked at Neville as he practically broke down. Harry couldn't even grasp how guilty he must have felt. To think, he had let Sirius Black into the dormitory! Harry's own godfather, set out to kill him!

Harry couldn't blame Neville, though. It wasn't his fault he was just naturally clumsy, and forgetful. But it still hurt Harry to think Ron could have died, and Scabbers, Ron's rat, was now missing. It was a lot to take in, and Ginny had agreed with him later on, their nightly runs were getting to be proven dangerous. They cancelled them for the meantime, much to both of their displeasure. The two of them had enjoyed the nightly chases, both feeling like they were being watched at the same time, it was nerve wracking.

XXX

"Ron!" shouted Harry as his friend was dragged down into the Womping Willow by a giant bearlike black dog.

"C'mon! We got to save him," Ginny shouted as she ran into the tunnel, barely escaping the branches, while Harry casted a spell to keep his clothes from being destroyed.

He grabbed Hermione's hand, and they barely made it into the tunnel, both gasping for breath, as they followed the footprints of Ginny's shoes. Where they were going, he had no idea.

But soon enough, they saw Ginny and Ron in the Shrieking Shack, of all places, sitting on a bed, their faces pale. "Ginny, what's going on?" Hermione asked warily.

"It's him! It's Sirius Black!" cried Ginny in reply, just as the door to the house was closed, by the man himself.

Harry saw what Azkaban had done to Sirius Black; gaunt-faced and hollow eyes, and his black hair reached down past his shoulders. His clothes were in rags, torn and caked blood was on them. Overall, he looked entirely depressing and frightening.

"You," Harry snarled.

"Hello Harry."

"You killed my parents," Harry snarled again.

"I didn't, but I as good as did."

But he was already under the grasp of Harry, and then several things happened at once. Ginny and Hermione screamed, Remus Lupin had all of their wands, and Harry was thrown onto the floor, gently.

XXX

Ginny was horrified. They were going to die. All of them; the words pained her.

"Let's kill him."

"No!"

"Yes, Sirius, I agree. Let's kill him."

"I knew it!" Hermione yelled.

Lupin paused, and turned to look at Hermione. "It's not like that."

"Don't tell me it isn't! You were planning this all along!"

"Hermione "

"No! Don't listen to him, he's a werewolf!"

Everybody except Sirius and Lupin gasped, including Hermione.

"How long have you known, and how?"

"Since last year, when Snape had to take your place near the full moon; it was quite obvious."

"You really are the cleverest witch for your age," Lupin muttered.

For the next few moments, everything was going too fast for Ginny to keep up with what was going on.

The first thing she noticed was that she was on the ground, having been knocked over, and that a man was pleading with Remus, Sirius, and Harry to let him go. But Harry said, "Let's take him back to the castle first."

The second thing she noticed was that Lupin was drinking something from a goblet, while Snape threw a disgusted look at the cowering man, before stunning him.

The third thing she noticed was that she was being carried, and she didn't know who was carrying her, and she lost conscious.

The final thing she noticed was she was awake, in the Hospital Wing, and she heard two people outside. "Are they giving him the Dementor's Kiss now?"

"Yes. I always knew you were innocent, falsely accused is a cruel punishment," the voice that spoke this time, she recognized, was Dumbledore's.

"Will I be able to take Harry with me?"

"Ah, that matter. The wards on Privet Drive were never properly placed, by Lily's spell before she died. The spell itself was supposed to be on the Black Palace.

"When it comes to that matter, however, you would have to ask Harry about it."

"I already did."

"And I can only presume his answer."

Ginny rolled onto her side, the blinding light making her squint. She could make out Black and Dumbledore, before she fell right back into her dreamless sleep, but the last part of the conversation she remembered clearly.

"The Horcrux in Harry may or may not cause damage; I have no clue of the effects. The best we can hope for is that it has no effects at all, but that is a very slim chance.

"However, Harry has a bright future ahead of him, thanks to your innocence now being proved. No doubt Cornelius is feeling very ashamed of himself at the moment, letting an innocent man spend roughly thirteen years in Azkaban.

"The Black House, however, is in a stable condition, not to mention having so many creatures in it now. Thankfully, Buckbeak also has been proved of his innocence, so we don't have to worry about that. But the house needs major repair to it."

"I have an offer for you, Dumbledore. As long as Harry and I can stay there, you are free to turn the house into a head quarters for the Order."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive; I'm done with Voldemort and his lies and crimes."

"Very well then, we accept your offer. You can go there now, using the Floo Powder in my office. You did a great thing today, proving your innocence and sentencing Peter rightfully."

"I never thought it would be Peter to destroy us, but yet he did. Be sure to contact the Order."

"I will."

Who was the Order? What did they do? Why were they doing it? Everything was so confusing and befuddling, it gave Ginny mild nightmares as she pondered her thoughts.


	16. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not own HP, JKR does**

**A/N: All credits of support go to all of you, because without all of you, this FF would have stayed in my mind forever. So I give all of you my personal thanks for following and being supportive, it means a lot to me. This is an add-on to Harry's third year, the fourth chapter of his third year, and the final chapter of this part of the FF story.**

Harry gazed in wonder at his new home. No longer was he living with the abusive Vernon and Dudley, and the depressed Petunia; the Dursleys could go and live their happy lives, or try to, at least. No, he now belonged to a different family, the Black family, but to be more specific, Sirius Black.

If you had told Harry Sirius would have been proved of innocence and he actually didn't do anything a few months earlier, Harry would have laughed and asked if it was a disturbing joke. But now, Harry did not know if the whole predicament was a dream or not.

Ginny had wished him the best of luck, and he promised to send Hedwig with letters to her often. Hermione was going off to the Burrow as soon as possible, and Ron had invited the both of them and Sirius to the upcoming Quidditch World Cup.

Luna was a different story. She had also been invited, and she agreed. The pack had only found out at the end of the third year her father had been killed, and she was currently living in her house, but not by herself. She had 'bought' several house elves, and thestrals were her best friends, but not as good as the pack.

Overall, the first three years of Harry's education at Hogwarts had been very eventful for an almost fourteen year old boy. He had made friends and enemies along the way, but also found out quite a few things from others.

He had found out about the Order of the Phoenix, which was a great example. But if one thing he was sure of, if Voldemort ever did return, Harry wasn't going down without a fight.

And fight he shall.


End file.
